M.S. Rau Antiques – New Orleans, Louisiana - Atlas Obscura
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M.S. Rau Antiques

New Orleans, Louisiana

A treasure trove of rare and exquisitely detailed antiques 

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The door into the secret room is built to look like a bookcase. Jeremy Thompson/CC BY 2.0
The door into the secret room is built to look like a bookcase. Jeremy Thompson/CC BY 2.0
The secret room behind the painted bookcase. J Ginsberg (Atlas obscura user)
M.S. Rau Antiques on Royal Street. J Ginsberg (Atlas Obscura User)
Behind the secret door, it's like shopping in a museum. J Ginsberg (Atlas Obscura User)
Sign outside of M.S. Rau Antiques. AdventureBro (Atlas Obscura User)
Education of Achilles ski queen (Atlas Obscura User)
Chess set by a master jewler for his daughter. Each of the pieces can be made to move in it's own way! jmichaelobscura (Atlas Obscura User)
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Many a serious collector of fine art and antiquities will be familiar with M.S. Rau Antiques in New Orleans’s French Quarter.

There are countless hyper detailed clocks, automaton animals, cabinets of autoplaying musical instruments, erotic boxes, jewelry of the famous,  paintings by greats such as Monet, Renoir, Norman Rockwell, and others, plus an etching by Rembrandt and a puzzling Enigma machine, a type of encryption device. You’ll also find furnishings inspired by palaces around the world, plus several sculptural works. As a top antiques dealer their inventory is constantly changing, but know that they will always have a lot of detailed regalia.

These are available for purchase, but you’ll need a big budget if you plan to take them home with you.

secrets antiquities stores paintings hidden books shops collections art
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